The Knicks (21-9) were coming off their own last-second win in Phoenix two nights prior, but tasted the same dosage that they gave the Suns when James Johnson knocked down the walk-off 3-pointer for the Kings.

Sacramento got off to such a quick start, leading by 21 points at the half, that it had all the makings of a long night for the Knicks -- especially since they were without Carmelo Anthony (hyperextended knee), Raymond Felton (pinkie), and Rasheed Wallace (foot). Friday night was just an example of what can happen during an 82-game grind, though, in that sometimes it's just a matter of everything that could go wrong, actually going wrong. It was almost as if the Knicks were destined to lose, especially after the way they stole a win from the Suns two nights earlier.

Consider the Knicks' plight on Friday's full-moon night, and maybe that can explain away the result:

The Kings (10-19) connected on a season-high 15 threes -- astonishing since they came into the game averaging just six made 3s per game; the game-winning hero Johnson shot 8-of-14 for 17 points -- a rare solid shooting night as he came into the game shooting just 37.8 percent from the floor, including 0-of-11 from behind the arc before the shot; Jimmer Fredette, once the apple of the former Knicks' regime's eye, had 15 points -- all in the second quarter; 5-foot-11 Aaron Brooks blocked an easy layup attempt by the 6-foot-9 Chris Copeland; and, finally, the Knicks allowed 5-foot-9 Isaiah Thomas to get the key offensive rebound which led to Johnson's buzzer-beater.

It's almost kismet that the Knicks fell short, considering they dodged a bullet in Phoenix. But if there is ever a silver lining in defeat, it's that they showed championship character by almost coming back against a feisty opponent, in an environment that's as rowdy as any arena in the league, and having played its third game in four nights.
KNICKS-KINGS PICTURE GALLERY

New York got down by as many as 27 points, but showed great spirit, veteran poise, and defensive tenacity in executing a 32-point turnaround in the waning minutes as they held a five-point lead with 90 seconds remaining.

By nearly completing their biggest comeback win since they erased a 26-point deficit against the Milwaukee Bucks in 2004, the Knicks might've showed more in defeat than if they had actually won, because most Knicks' teams of the recent past might've folded up and rested their starters by the time the fourth quarter commenced.

But this current batch continued to chip away, play stellar defense (allowing just 35 second-half points), ride the hot hands of J.R. Smith (28 points) and Chris Copeland (23 points), and fight. Ultimately it wasn't their night, but teams around the league should be on notice that Mike Woodson's squad will not go down easily regardless of the circumstances.

This loss won't matter in the grand scheme of things for the Knicks, especially when the postseason begins, because as they're sizing up their first-round opponent in the playoffs, they can perhaps look back on this sleepy December matchup as the night they showed they can take a punch, and almost overcome any deficit.